turtle-eggs-1The eggs laid by an Olive Ridley turtle in front of Puerta Privada earlier this summer unfortunately did not make it to the hatching stage after succumbing to high temperatures.

This was reported after inspectors from the Environmental Protection Agency (PROFEPA) recently requested assistance from staff at the Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans (CEDO) to review the nest where the turtle had laid 84 eggs on July 3rd.

Paloma Valdivia, Environmental Education Program Coordinator at CEDO confirmed that of the 84 eggs, only 20 had become embryos while the rest had not even reached that stage of development. Furthermore, she indicated that due to high temperatures this season, the embryos were affected and unable to develop.

“Basically there were 84 eggs, 20 of them containing embryos in very early stages of development, or rather they weren’t alive for very long,” stated Valdivia. The biologist commented that high temperatures are a reason turtle nests do not always produce in this region, as this only occurs occasionally.

“This region is considered more as a feeding beach for sea turtles, more than a nesting beach,” she emphasized.

The nest created by the Olive Ridley turtle in early July had been roped off, with PROFEPA inspectors keeping watch over the area for more than a month to prevent any damage to the nest by people or animals in the area.

By Azucena Mazon @rockypoint360